UGC NET • PAPER 2

UGC NET Electronic Science Syllabus 2026

Your complete guide to all 10 units, unit-wise weightage, exam pattern, high-yield topics and the best books to crack Paper 2 for Assistant Professor & JRF.

The UGC NET Electronic Science syllabus is prescribed by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for candidates aiming to qualify as Assistant Professors or for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF). Paper 2 spans ten units covering semiconductor devices, IC fabrication, network theory, analog and digital electronics, microprocessors, electromagnetics, communication, power electronics/control systems and instrumentation. This guide simplifies every unit, indicates the likely question-load per unit, and recommends the right books so your preparation stays focused and efficient.

Quick Highlights

Particular Details
Exam Name UGC NET Electronic Science
Conducting Body National Testing Agency (NTA)
Total Units 10
Paper 2 Questions 100 (200 marks)
Mode Computer-Based Test (CBT)
Negative Marking No

Exam Pattern (Paper 1 & Paper 2)

Paper Questions Marks
Paper 1 (Teaching & Research Aptitude) 50 MCQs 100
Paper 2 (Electronic Science) 100 MCQs 200
Total 150 MCQs 300
Good news: There is no negative marking in UGC NET. Each correct answer earns +2 marks, so attempt every question after eliminating options.

Unit-Wise Weightage Analysis

Approximate number of questions expected from each unit based on previous-year trends.

Unit / Topic Expected Questions
Unit 1: Semiconductor Devices 8–10
Unit 3: Network Theory & Circuit Theorems 8–10
Unit 5: Digital Electronics & Logic Families 8–10
Unit 7: Electromagnetics & Maxwell’s Equations 8–10
Unit 4: Analog Circuits (Rectifiers, Op-Amp, Regulators) 7–9
Unit 6: Microprocessors (8085/8086) 7–9
Unit 8: Communication Systems 7–9
Unit 9: Power Electronics & Control Systems 6–8
Unit 2: IC Fabrication & VLSI Basics 5–7
Unit 10: Transducers & Instrumentation 5–7

Paper 2: Electronic Science Syllabus — All 10 Units

Unit 1 • Semiconductor Devices

Physics and behaviour of the core building blocks of electronics.

  • Semiconductor physics; intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors
  • PN junction diode and Zener diode
  • BJT, FET and MOSFET
  • UJT and optoelectronic devices
  • Device characteristics and applications

Unit 2 • IC Fabrication

How integrated circuits are manufactured.

  • Silicon crystal growth and oxidation
  • Diffusion and ion implantation
  • Epitaxy and photolithography
  • Etching and metallization
  • CMOS fabrication, VLSI basics and IC packaging

Unit 3 • Network Theory

Circuit analysis and network theorems — a high-scoring unit.

  • Circuit elements; KCL and KVL
  • Mesh and nodal analysis
  • Network theorems and transient analysis
  • Resonance and two-port networks
  • Laplace transform and filters

Unit 4 • Rectifiers & Analog Circuits

Power supplies, regulation and waveform-shaping.

  • Half-wave, full-wave and bridge rectifiers
  • Filters and ripple factor
  • Zener and voltage regulators
  • Power supplies and efficiency
  • Clipping and clamping circuits

Unit 5 • Logic Families & Digital Electronics

Digital fundamentals and logic circuit design.

  • Number systems and Boolean algebra
  • Logic gates; TTL, CMOS and ECL
  • Combinational and sequential circuits
  • Flip-flops, counters and registers
  • Memories

Unit 6 • Architecture of 8085 & 8086 Microprocessors

Microprocessor architecture, programming and interfacing.

  • Architecture and instruction set
  • Addressing modes and timing diagrams
  • Interrupts
  • Memory and I/O interfacing
  • Assembly language programming and peripherals

Unit 7 • Electrostatics & Electromagnetics

Field theory fundamentals — a consistently high-weightage unit.

  • Coulomb’s law and electric field
  • Electric potential and Gauss’s law
  • Capacitance and dielectric materials
  • Energy stored in electric fields
  • Boundary conditions and Maxwell’s equations

Unit 8 • Modulation and Demodulation

Communication systems and signal transmission.

  • AM, FM and PM
  • Pulse modulation and the sampling theorem
  • Multiplexing and digital modulation
  • Noise in communication systems
  • Transmitters and receivers

Unit 9 • Power Devices & Control Systems

Power electronics and open/closed-loop control.

  • SCR, TRIAC, DIAC, MOSFET and IGBT
  • Choppers and inverters
  • Feedback principles and transfer functions
  • Block diagrams and stability analysis
  • PID controllers

Unit 10 • Transducers & Instrumentation

Sensing, measurement and signal conditioning.

  • Classification of transducers
  • Resistive, inductive and capacitive transducers
  • Piezoelectric, optical and temperature sensors
  • Signal conditioning
  • Instrumentation and measurement techniques

High-Yield Topics to Master First

Secure these repeatedly asked areas before anything else:

Semiconductor DevicesNetwork TheoremsDigital ElectronicsMaxwell’s EquationsOp-Amp Circuits8085/8086AM/FMControl SystemsPower DevicesTransducers

Best Books for UGC NET Electronic Science

  • Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory — Boylestad & Nashelsky
  • Digital Design — M. Morris Mano
  • Microprocessor Architecture, Programming & Applications with the 8085 — Ramesh Gaonkar
  • Communication Systems — Simon Haykin
  • Control Systems Engineering — Nagrath & Gopal
  • Trueman’s / Arihant UGC NET Electronic Science guide and previous year papers

Smart Preparation Strategy

Build a strong core in semiconductor devices, network theory and digital electronics first, since these three units together carry the largest share of questions. Add electromagnetics early because it is conceptually heavy but very predictable. Practise numerical problems on rectifiers, op-amps, microprocessor programming and control systems, and keep a formula sheet for quick revision. Don’t neglect Paper 1, which contributes 100 marks. Finally, solve 8–10 years of previous papers and take regular mock tests to build speed and accuracy across the 100-question Paper 2.